United Methodist Reporter Blog

Oil-Patch Ministry, in the Dec. 2 'Reporter'

Greetings e-Readers!

An oil boom in Williston, N.D., has brought low unemployment and hordes of new people eager for work and willing to put up with an acute housing shortage. Meanwhile, the local United Methodist church is finding both new challenges and new opportunities for ministry. Staff writer Mary Jacobs has our story.
 
A new Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life study looks at the growth and changing nature of religious advocacy—i.e., lobbying—in Washington, D.C. And it turns out that United Methodists remain in the thick of things, not least because of the location of the United Methodist Building, right on Capitol Hill. Our story draws on the study itself and on UMC sources. 

Years ago, Jimmy Creech lost his credentials as a UMC pastor after officiating at same-sex unions, something church law prohibits. The issue remains hot in the denomination, with more than a thousand UM clergy recently pledging to officiate at such services, and thousands of other pastors and clergy urging bishops to enforce church law against that group. Mary Jacobs has a Q&A with Mr. Creech, still a United Methodist, about the issue and his new memoir, Adam’s Gift.
 
The Rev. James C. Howell’s new book The Beauty of the Word is all about preaching, and our reviewer, the Rev. David Mosser, declares it to be an in-depth, highly literate and extremely useful account of the craft. 

In commentaries, the Rev. Eric Van Meter argues that, in responding to the problem of an aging clergy corps, it’s important for the UMC to ask: “Who cares?” The Rev. Stephen Rankin, chaplain of Southern Methodist University, laments the scarcity of critical thinking on campus. Retired Bishop Woodie W. White argues that Advent is the perfect time for slowing down and simplifying one’s life, in order to make room for Jesus. 

There’s plenty more in this issue, including C. Michael Hawn’s History of Hymns column and a feature on groundbreaking for the first Vietnamese United Methodist Church in the South Central Jurisdiction. 

We welcome story tips, comments, and brief, civil letters to the editor. Send them to news@umr.org. 

And thanks, as always, for keeping the faith with us.

Sam Hodges, managing editor 

 

Wrap It Up, in the Nov. 25 'Reporter'

Greetings e-Readers!

For those looking to buy Christmas gifts that connect with Christian faith – including the Wesleyan variety – the Reporter is here to help. We offer a gift-giving guide with sections on books, music, DVDs, and “alternative giving.”
 
The leaders of two long-estranged mission agencies – the UMC’s General Board of Global Missions and the Mission Society – have made it their business to make peace. Thomas Kemper of GBGM and Dick McClain of the Mission Society spent more than a year forging a friendship, and have laid the groundwork for cooperation between their organizations. Our story draws on interviews with both.
 
The UM Council of Bishops has issued a letter saying its members will enforce the Book of Discipline against UM clergy who officiate at same-sex unions. Our story includes reaction from pastors on both sides of the issue.
 
The Methodist Federation for Social Action has issues with the Call to Action restructuring plan for UMC agencies, and has come up with a plan of its own. We look at the details.
 
The UMC is helping to meet the need for artificial limbs in Africa, through the United Methodist Artificial Limb Fitting Center. United Methodist News Service has the story, with a focus on work in Sierra Leone.
 
In commentaries, Donald Haynes uses his “Wesleyan Wisdom” column to argue that the Methodist Episcopal Church’s split over slavery has lessons for the UMC in its struggle with social issues, including homosexuality. In her “Aging Well column, Missy Buchanan offers tips for helping young people and seniors connect in a church context. And the Rev. John Wagner writes about an unlikely lay Methodist advocate for using financial pressure to influence Israeli policy toward the Palestinians.
 
There’s plenty more in this edition, including a review of Marilyn Brown Oden’s mystery novel The Dead Saint, which features a female bishop protagonist; C. Michael Hawn’s “History of Hymns” column, about Twila Paris’ “We Will Glorify the King of Kings”; and a Q&A with Kim Cape, top executive of the UMC’s General Board of Higher Education and Ministry.
 
We welcome brief, civil letters to the editor, as well as comments not intended for publication, and story tips. Send them to news@umr.org.
 
Thanks, as always, for keeping the faith with us.

Sam Hodges, managing editor

Report: Sandusky of Penn State scandal is longtime UMC parishioner

 

ESPN has a profile of Jerry Sandusky, the key figure in the Penn State scandal, and it notes that he has been a longtime parishioner of St. Paul's UMC, near the campus in State Park, Pa.

The church's pastor - the Rev. Edwin Zeiders - is quoted well down in the story.

 

Council of Bishops says it will uphold `Discipline' regarding clergy officiating at same-sex unions

 

The UM Council of Bishops has released a letter which say the bishops will "uphold" the Book of Discipline against clergy of the denomination who officiate at same sex unions.

The Book of Discipline, the church's law book, prohibits clergy from doing that.

More than 1,000 UM clergy have signed statements pledging to officiate at such unions, sparking a counter movement of thousands of clergy and laity who have signed petitions asking the Council of Bishops to pledge to enforce the Book of Discipline against the first group.

The bishops' letter notes deep divisions in the denominations over homosexuality.

 

 

Format:Love Feast, in the Nov. 18 'Reporter'

Greetings e-Readers!

The Love Feast is a Moravian Christian tradition that attracted John Wesley and currently finds favor in more than a few UM churches, particularly during Advent. Staff writer Mary Jacobs has our report.

Bishop Rosemarie Wenner of Germany will be the next president of the UM Council of Bishops. We have a Q&A with her about the Call to Action initiative, her UM background, secularism in Europe, and more.

The Rev. Rick Craig, a UM pastor in North Dakota, has earned a following on flickr for his haunting photographs of abandoned churches. We have a sample of the images, and a Q&A.

The UM Judicial Council has reached decisions on cases affecting the North Texas and South Carolina conferences, and that’s not all. United Methodist News Service has a report.

In commentaries, the Rev. Andrew C. Thompson uses his Gen-X-Rising column to vent about frivolous expenditures and how they tend to top Christian stewardship. The Rev. Alyce McKenzie relates faith to an early morning walk in the dark with a trusted friend.The Rev. James Howell considers whether there really is such a thing as “holy marketing.” And retired Bishop Woodie W. White devotes his Reflections column to the challenge of feeling grateful during hard times.

There’s plenty more in this edition, including History of Hymns, about Brian Wren’s “There’s a Spirit in the Air,” a review of Mike Moran’s young adult novel Jesse Crosse, and special contributor Amy Forbus’ story about a UM church in Arkansas that trains lay chaplains through the program Community of Hope.

We welcome your story ideas, comments, and brief, civil letters to the editor. Send to news@umr.org.

Thanks, as always, for keeping the faith with us. 

Sam Hodges, managing editor

Council of Bishops plans statement on same-sex unions controversy

The UM Council of Bishops meeting has ended without public comment on the controversy over UM clergy who have pledged to officiate at same-sex unions, despite church law prohibiting that. "We will be releasing a statement," said Bishop Larry Goodpaster, council president, immediately after the meeting. "There's a few more pieces we need to work on, but we’ll be releasing a statement soon." More than 1,000 UM clergy have pledged to officiate at same-sex unions. Thousands of UM clergy and laity have signed statements urging the bishops to enforce the Book of Discipline against that group. The bishops met in executive session Thursday night.

Bishop Lyght stepping down, and retired Bishop Grove will fill in for him

Bishop Ernest Lyght of the West Virginia Conference is retiring at year's end due to ill health. The Council of Bishops today assigned retired Bishop William Boyd Grove to take his place until a yet-to-be elected bishop takes over in September 2012.

Gates Foundation gives big grant to UMC anti-malaria effort

 

The UMC's "Imagine No Malaria" campaign is getting $3 million from the Gates Foundation, Bishop Tom Bickerton announced at today's Council of Bishops meeting in Lake Junaluska, N.C.

The money will help cover administrative and fund-raising costs in the effort to raise $75 million. So far, $18 million has been raised.

Meanwhile, Bishop Sally Dyck announced an anonymous $600,000 matching gift to the Minnesota Conference's effort to raise funds for Imagine No Malaria.

Bishop Dyck called Imagine No Malaria an "opportunity to solve a problem that isn't about our institutional life."

Bishop Bickerton gave a progress report on the effort to make a vaccine against malaria, and said such efforts as bed nets have helped reduce the death rate. He said one million died in Africa from the disease in 2007, and 800,000 died in 2010.

"The rates are dropping but if we stop our efforts or lessen them to any degree the rates of malaria will rise again," he said.

 

Career Care, in the Nov. 11 'Reporter'

Greetings e-Readers!

A United Methodist Church in Georgia has taken the issue of joblessness head on, providing an array of services to those looking for work. And those in need have come in droves. United Methodist News Service reports.
 
The United Methodist Council of Bishops voted overwhelmingly to endorse reforms aimed at arresting declines of the denomination in the U.S. I’m at the bishops meeting in Lake Junaluska, N.C., this week and have a story looking at that and other developments.
 
The aims of Kamina University, a UMC affiliate in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, include educating and empowering women. Special contributor Joan La Barr has a report. 
 
Elsewhere in our news pages, Ginny Underwood of the United Methodist News Service writes about an official expression of repentance relating to Native Americans planned for the 2012 General Conference; retired UM Bishop Robert Sheldon Duecker dies after a long battle with cancer; and the home of a UM family in Pennsylvania is retooled to aid the rehab of their college-aged son, who was paralyzed in an accident in 2008.
 
Documenting the history of the United Methodist Church in Zimbabwe just became easier, thanks to a gift from retired missionaries. Stephen Drachler has the United Methodist News Service report.
 
In commentaries, the Rev. Tim McClendon, a district superintendent in South Carolina, sees pitfalls in the proposal to restructure the UMC, Sarah Wilke reflects on the shared faith of editors of The Upper Room, and Donald Haynes devotes his Wesleyan Wisdom column to the theological implications of economic policy.
 
There’s plenty more in this issue, including C. Michael Hawn’s History of Hymns column on a hymn from India, an interview with the Rev. Sheron Patterson about her new book The Blessings & Bling, and a feature about a retired UM pastor who was honored at the White House.
 
We welcome your story tips, comments and brief, civil letters to the editor. Message us at news@umr.org.
 
And thanks, as always, for keeping the faith with us.
 
Sam Hodges, managing editor

UMC Council of Bishops elects officers

 

The United Methodist Church Council of Bishops this afternoon elected new officers. Bishop Rosemarie Wenner of Germany, who had been president designate, was elected president. She'll take over, for a two-year term, during the next General Conference.

"Thank you very much for trusting me," Bishop Wenner said. "I am committed to bring my gifts to that task."

Bishop Warner Brown of the California-Nevada Conference was elected president designate.

"I am humbled by this invitation to serve," Bishop Brown said. "May God help us do the things we need to do to serve the present age."

Bishop Robert Hayes of the Oklahoma Conference was elected secretary.

Bishop Mary Ann Swenson of the Los Angeles Area was elected ecumenical secretary.

Bishop Peter Weaver of the New England Conference was elected executive secretary.

 

Council of Bishops endorses major change

 

The UMC's Council of Bishops voted overwhelmingly this afternoon to endorse major change in the denomination, including restructuring of general agencies, redistributing of $60 million to back the "vital congregations" effort, and giving annual conferences more freedom to organize.

Within the United States, the denomination has long been in decline in membership and worship attendance, and reform efforts are aimed at reversing that.

Of the vote, Council President Larry Goodpaster said, "It was a sign that we're ready to head off in a new direction."

The vote specifically endorsed a letter summarizing proposed changes, some requiring action by the 2012 General Conference, some not.

One of the handful of dissenters was Bishop Elaine Stanovsky, who failed in an effort to get the council to take straw votes on seven proposals in the letter that will require General Conference action.

She said she was concerned about "not being able to give that nuanced response" to the document, but does favor major change.

"I think the status quo is not working and we really need to change it," she said. "I will not go home and speak against this (letter) in my conference. I'll represent it postively."

 The proposals the letter endorses include:

* Giving Annual Conferences freedom to organize their structures for "greater fruitfulness."

* Letting up to $60 million in general church funds be reallocated, mid-quadrennium, for creating and sustaining the "vital congregations" effort.

* Providing for the Council of Bishops to elect a non-residential bishop as president - the so-called "set aside bishop" proposal.

* Creating a Center for Connectional Mission & Ministry under one board of directors to combine the functions of the Connectional Table and nine general agencies

The letter says, "We see a new church. It is a church that is clear about its mission and confident about its future, a church that is always reaching out, inviting, alive, agile, and resilient. We ask all United Methodists to join us as together we work to do the `new thing' God intends for our church and discover the path God is making for our future.

The council will be in session all week at Lake Junaluska, N.C.